Why I think Vaccinations are so important and Why I get them at Walgreens!

*This is a sponsored post with Walgreens and CafeMom. All opinions are my own and not swayed by outside sources.*

To be honest before I had kids I thought that the Whooping Cough was something out of a Victorian era novel. It certainly was not anything I had remembered hearing about, and even so, I thought we were all vaccinated against it at some point. Then there was a huge resurgence of Whooping Cough in the US right around the time that my first child was born, I heard of it again. Whooping cough, also called Pertussis, is a highly contagious bacterial disease that can be deadly to an infant. The symptoms generally take 10 days to show up, but the carrier is contagious in the meantime. As a new mother this news was terrifying, and the decision that people made about vaccines became personal to me. I don’t think I was overreacting to this issue either, since approximately half of infants who are under 1 year of age who get pertussis have to be hospitalized.

I had to explain to friends and loved ones, that to hold your new grandchild, niece, goddaughter, whatever my newborn is to you, you need to have had your vaccine for whooping cough! I was a total mama bear, not letting anyone near my child unless I was sure they were safe for her to be around.

I think it is easy to become complacent in our country where we no longer see cases of deadly diseases like Polio, and for a long time, Measles. But as a mother I feel like it is my job to protect my child from preventable diseases. I was thrilled to see that Walgreens takes this as seriously as I do. I am the same protective mama with my third baby as I was with my first.

Walgreens has partnered with the UN Foundation for the Get a Shot. Give a Shot. campaign to raise awareness and help provide lifesaving vaccines to kids everywhere. ***Donation currently valid for non-flu vaccinations. Aggregate donation of up to $1 million.** Each immunization given at a Walgreens for Whooping Cough, Shingles, Pneumonia and others (except for Flu) also helps provide a lifesaving vaccine to a child in need. As a mom I know that every mother wants their baby to remain healthy, so I love that by getting an immunization, we should all have anyway, it is also saving the life of a child that otherwise might go without that vaccine.

Vaccines have been one of the world’s biggest health success stories, but 1 in 5 children around the world still will not get the vaccines that we have come to take for granted in this country. When we work together we make the world a better place, and when you get your immunization at Walgreens you can know that you are helping to make the world a better and safer place for all children. And if you want to come over and hold baby Taylor, just be warned that I’ll need you to have had your vaccines, and if not, there is a Walgreens right around the corner!

I think it’s our responsibility as parents to make sure our children are vaccinated. There’s a really good reason we don’t see things, such as polio for example, as a common illness anymore. The risks of not vaccinating greatly outweigh the risks of getting them. It’s awesome seeing Walgreens making this commitment to help children in need with less access!

Thank you for sharing your pro-vaccine message!! I see so many anti-vaccine bloggers nowadays that I think it’s very important for pro-vaccine families to get the word out there. (And as a former immunzation/infections disease control nurse, I personally thank you for sharing this great campaign and information!!)